Mithridate

Mithridates ( Electuarium Mithridatis, older spelling Metridat ) was a recipe that formerly represented a panacea (especially as an antidote ).

According to legend, feared King Mithridates VI. Eupator in Asia Minor poison attacks from his family because he as a young man poisoned his parents to come to power. He expanded using his personal physician an already existing mix of herbs from anise, fennel seeds and cumin ( the recipe for which was carved into the wall of asclepieion of Kos) compared to 54 ingredients, including " magic" ingredients such as duck blood, snakes and toads meat and took it as a prevention poison attacks. According to him, it was called Mithridatium.

The compilation was later expanded to include opium as another ingredient. The Persian and Turkmen name " Teriak " or " Theriaak " for the substance obtained from the poppy resulted in the name Theriac for the extended formulation.